


Diamond

by lyrawinter



Series: I Hear the Birds on the Summer Breeze [1]
Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - 1920s, F/M, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-02
Updated: 2018-12-02
Packaged: 2019-09-05 16:20:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16814164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lyrawinter/pseuds/lyrawinter
Summary: First part of a series set in the 1920s.Sansa is the daughter of Ned Stark, the founder of one of the most important automobile factories in Westeros. Petyr Baelish is a silent movie actor. One day, they meet at a party.





	Diamond

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first of a three-part series set in the 1920s. Each part may have a different rating. but there won't be graphic depictions of violence, major character death, underage, nor non-con. My intention is to write a light-hearted series :-)
> 
> The title _I Hear the Birds on the Summer Breeze_ is taken from the song _Ride_ by Lana del Rey.
> 
> I want to thank to petyrbaealish for beta-ing this story and for being always so supportive. Also, she's an amazing writer so if you haven't read her fics, I encourage you to do so :-)

The promotional posters on the walls almost had a phantasmagoric appearance in the light of the lamps.

J.W. CORPORATION

PRESENTS

The Secrets Between Us

Passion! Suspense! Action!

An extraordinary experience you will never forget!

Starring

Petyr Baelish “The Perfect Westerosi Gentleman”

And

Shirley Griffin “The Femme Fatale from Braavos”

Ticket price: 25 cents.

“Ugh, another movie with Baelish as the hero. Seriously, I cannot understand how the directors and producers always give him the role of the good guy nor how on earth he’s earned this nickname: The Perfect Westerosi Gentleman.' Nonsense! He should play the villain in every movie.”

“Arya!” Sansa looked around, fearing that someone had heard her sister’s words, but thankfully none of the other passers-by seemed to be paying attention to them.

“What? I’ve only said the truth.”

Sansa sighed.

She knew she should be used to Arya’s comments by now. Her sister had always been too blunt and impulsive for her own good. She never thought about the consequences of her acts. Back when she was a child this wasn’t a big problem. After all, kids said inappropriate things all the time. It was in their nature. But those years had passed a long time ago. Arya wasn’t a child anymore. She was a young lady, even though she hated with all her might that people used that term to address her.

“Lady is too corny. It makes me think of stuffy women that act as if they’ve swallowed a broomstick,” she told Sansa once, after a father’s acquaintance called her “Lady Arya.”

At least she had been prudent enough to wait until the man left the room.

However, she hadn’t bothered to lower her voice.

Sansa had given up trying to make her sister reconsider her attitude. In the past, every time Sansa asked her to be more prudent, Arya replied the same:

“Huh, where’s the fun in that?”

Sansa was still worried that at some point, her sister’s behavior could harm their family’s reputation, but she didn’t know how to prevent that from happening. The situation was even more stressful because the journalists were stalking everywhere. They were in the streets and in the parks. In the cafes and patisseries. In the jewelry stores, hotels and hat shops. They wore sunglasses during the day and high collared overcoats at night. They always pretended to be absorbed in their thoughts, but Sansa knew better than to let herself be fooled by appearances.

Journalist were eager to learn more about the glamorous families in Westeros, and the Starks were one of their most coveted targets.

Their father, Ned Stark, was the founder of Starkspeed, a luxury automobile marque, the favorite of the upper class. The logo was a white wolf in a forest, with its jaws closed and its claws hidden in the snow. “Starkspeed” was a symbol of elegance and temperance, both qualities Ned valued greatly. His marque was highly regarded in the society, but Sansa had never seen her father boasting about it, not even when he was alone with his children and wife in the dining room while the servants worked downstairs.

“We should hurry up,” Sansa said, adjusting her hat. “Mom and dad will get angry if we arrive late.”

Arya rolled her eyes.

“Oh, yes, if would be a shame if we were late to their stupid party. I cannot wait to exchange courteous and empty words with all the guests and smile every time someone compliments my appearance or my pretended docility. Oh, and of course, I cannot wait to go to bed just before the music starts and the waitresses walk around the room offering cocktails.”

“Arya, please.” Deep down, Sansa also felt annoyed that her mother never allowed them to stay at the parties after the dinner, but she has never dared to say it aloud.

Despite the fact that both Sansa and Arya were of age, Ned and Catelyn had never allowed them to go out after the sunset, drink alcohol, or be alone with a man.

Arya often complained about the situation and exclaimed that she felt like a prisoner. Sansa, however, had never protested protested, not even once. She even tried to soothe her sister in those occasions, telling her that they were very lucky to have parents that loved them and to live in a beautiful mansion with all the amenities they could dream of. Very few people could say the same.

“But we don’t have freedom,” Arya replied every time. “I feel as if I have a chain shackled to my ankle. I want to be able to go wherever I want without asking for permission and without worrying about the time. I want to stay out late. To enjoy a drink in a cafe while listening to live music. To have male friends. To dance until I run out of breath. To hell with decorum! I just want to live on my own terms! My life is passing me by and I’m not making the most of it. It’s so depressing, Sans. I need to do something about it or I’ll explode!”

Sansa always stayed quiet, not knowing what to say. Despite having heard the same complaints on numerous occasions, Sansa felt uncomfortable, and her instinct told her that it was better not to think about her sister’s words.

Because the truth was that sometimes, Sansa wished for more freedom. She didn’t feel as if she had a chain shackled to her ankle, like Arya (that was a comparison too dramatic to her taste). No, Sansa felt like a little bird in a big cage made of gold, with plenty of food and water, and a swing tied with a silk ribbon to the bars.

She lived surrounded by beautiful things, but she couldn’t go beyond the limits set by her parents. The only world she knew was her neighborhood, the center of the city and the coastal town where her family summered every year. All of them gorgeous places indeed, but after years and years seeing and doing the same things, even the most breathtaking landscapes could become boring.

Deep down, Sansa knew that she needed a change of scenery.

*

Stark Manor stood out among the other mansions that night. Dozens of lanterns illuminated the garden; they were placed along the path that led to the principal entrance, and among the fruit trees and rose bushes. In the duck pond, there were flower shaped candles, floating among the water lilies.

The sound of jazz music, vibrant and enveloping, came from the house, blended with laughs and the occasional “pop” of the uncorked bottles.

The dinner had ended more than an hour ago, and the party had continued in the lilac room. An orchestra was playing at the back. Some guests danced to the rhythm; the sequins from the dresses sparkled as they caught the light and heels tapped on the floor.

Ned and Cat, along with some other guests, had sat down in armchairs with a drink and talked while they admired the dancers’ performances.

Sansa and Arya were, of course, upstairs, in their bedrooms. All of Arya’s pleas had been pointless. Catelyn had stood firm.

“Tonight, more than ever, I want you to go to bed.”

Arya and Sansa had exchanged looks of surprise.

“What’s different about tonight?” Arya had asked.

“Because tonight, apart from our habitual guests, there are some people from the cinema industry: directors, producers, actors.” Catelyn’s mouth had curved in an expression of annoyance. “I don’t have anything against them, but I don’t approve of their lifestyle. They are more… uninhibited than common people. I don’t want you to interact with them or to have anything to do with their world.”

“Then, why has dad invited them?”

Catelyn had sighed before answering:

“Because one of the producers has offered him a very good business contract and your father wants to know him and his work better before signing any document. Of course, your father doesn’t intend to talk about business with him tonight in front of the other guests.” Catelyn shook her head as if that were obvious. “He just wants to learn more about the man, to find out what his principles are. The producer wants one of the Starkspeed to appear in his next movie and he’s willing to pay a great amount of money in exchange. If this project finally comes to fruition, it would give us publicity and could be the first of many offers in the future.”

*

Ned Stark felt satisfied about how the things were going at the party. There hadn’t been any incident so far and everybody seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Sansa and Arya were already in their bedrooms, and Ned couldn’t help but feel relieved for that. It was exhausting to keep an eye on them and be a good host at the same time. It wasn’t that he distrusted her daughters, rather he distrusted the intention others could have towards them. Sansa and Arya were still too young and knew very little about the dangers of the world. They had been raised in a sheltered environment. He and Catelyn had done everything in their power to hide the most sordid side of Westeros from them. Their daughters hadn’t seen any horrors nor suffered any tragedies, but they were more at risk of being tricked. Ned couldn’t let someone harm them. He was the head of the family and had to safeguard all its members.

Feeling more relaxed now that he knew his daughters were sleeping, Ned looked around, trying to find Mr. Barton, the producer who had made him the business offer. Mr. Barton, as well as the other people who worked in the cinema industry, had kept in the background from the start. They probably knew that his habitual guests weren’t used to interacting with artists and didn’t want to disrupt their routines nor cause any bother.

Ned felt grateful for that. For him, politeness was one of the most important virtues. He wasn’t willing to close a deal with rude people. In truth, he felt a little guilty for not having introduced them to his daughters, but for now, he preferred to keep Sansa and Arya away. 

*

Sansa wasn’t sleeping. She was sitting on her bed, trying to gather the courage to go downstairs again. She didn’t want to go back to the lilac room, but she didn’t have any other option.

Sansa had just realized that she had lost one of her earrings during the party. To make matters worse, those earrings were the best she had. Not only were they the most expensive, but they also had great sentimental value: they had belonged to her family for generations and had been handed down from mother to daughter. Sansa had inherited them two summers ago, when she turned 21.

And now she had lost one of them.

If she didn’t go downstairs to look for the earring, chances were that it would be lost forever. She didn’t think that one of the guests would run off with it, but one never knew. The earring could also be hidden among the scraps that wound up in the trash can due to the carelessness of the servants.

Sansa sighed.

She had to find it this very night. 

*

Sansa walked down the stairs stealthily, touching the wall with her right arm to orient herself. She could have leant on the banister, placed on the opposite side, but she couldn’t risk it creaking.

The second floor was in darkness and no light came from downstairs. There were only a few spaces illuminated on the first floor: the kitchen, the lilac room, some corridors and the patio, which linked to the hall.  
That night, Sansa had only been in the dining room and in the lilac room. Since the guests would be still in the lilac room, Sansa really hoped that her missing earring was in the dining room instead. She would have to turn on the light, but she trusted no one would catch her.

When she reached the first floor, she waited a few seconds before walking along the corridor to make sure that no one was nearby. Fortunately, the lilac room was far away from there. That staircase only led to the private rooms so it was in a remote area of the house.

Sansa started walking along the corridor.

She hadn’t even taken a couple of steps when she heard the click of a switch, and the chandelier lamp lit up the corridor. Before she could react, a voice said:

“I don’t think we’ve been introduced.”

*

Oh, no.

Sansa turned back, her heart beating fast. In front of her there was a man with dark hair and grey temples. He was dressed in navy blue and carried a handkerchief in his right hand.

Petyr Baelish. The actor that always should play the villain according to Arya’s words.

Sansa had seen him at the party but she hadn’t had the opportunity to approach him. Her father hadn’t even mentioned his name. Sansa only knew him through his movies. She opened her mouth, despite not knowing what to say, but at that moment he extended his arm as if he were offering the handkerchief to her. 

Sansa frowned, confused.

“I think you must be looking for it, sweetling,” Mr. Baelish said in a gentle tone and started unfolding the handkerchief. Inside, a diamond sparkled.

“My earring!” Sansa exclaimed. It was almost like a miracle. Where would have he found it? And how did he know that it was hers and that she would be there?

Mr. Baelish smiled.

“My assumption was right, then. What an extraordinary coincidence, indeed. I couldn’t be happier for our paths to have crossed right now. It would be a shame if something so precious remained hidden and couldn’t be admired any longer.” Petyr’s smile reached his eyes when he added: “It’s a real pleasure to give it back to you, sweetling. At first glance it doesn’t seem to have suffered any harm.”

“Thank you!” Sansa recovered herself from the surprise and beamed. She hurried closer. Her hands trembled so hard when she took the earring that she almost dropped it. A blush spread across her cheeks. She felt terribly clumsy.

If Mr. Baelish noticed her nervousness, he didn’t show any signs of it. He waited until Sansa took a step back, now with the earring inside her fist. Only then did he carefully fold the handkerchief before putting it into his pocket again.

Sansa observed all his movements. There was something alluring about him, some kind of magnetism. She understood why so many producers and directors wanted him to have the leading role in their movies. He had the natural ability to attract people’s attention and his charisma was even more powerful in person.

Suddenly the realization that she was alone with a man hit her. Sansa gasped. Just then, Mr. Baelish finished putting the handkerchief into his pocket and lifted his head.

When his eyes fixed on her, Sansa shuddered. Mr. Baelish’s gaze was so intense that everything around them seemed to vanish magically. It made her want to cover herself from head to toe and to get closer to him at the same time. She had never felt like this, and it was a little scary.

Sansa felt grateful for not having changed her clothes after the party. She still wore her dress, though she had left the shawl upstairs, so part of her collarbone and shoulders were bare. Of course, every article of clothing that Arya and Sansa wore obeyed the rules of decorum. Catelyn herself took them to the modiste and chose the designs. 

Sansa tried to imagine her mother’s reaction if she caught her there with Mr. Baelish, and felt a tightness in her chest. Catelyn would probably think the worst and nothing that Sansa could say would help to calm the waters. Her mother would consider that casual encounter an abominable offense, a dishonor to the family.

Sansa knew she should thank Mr. Baelish again, wish him a good night and leave. But she didn’t want to, not yet.

“Oh, sorry. Where are my manners? I’m Petyr Baelish. A pleasure to meet you.” He offered his hand.

“I know. I recognized you.” Sansa couldn’t help but blush after admitting it.

“Oh.” Petyr seemed pleased to hear it. “Have you ever watched any of my movies?”

“Yes.” The heat in her cheeks increased. The truth was that Sansa had watched his whole filmography. Well, save _The Secrets Between Us_ , but only because that movie had just been released and she hadn’t had the opportunity to watch it yet. Jeyne, her best friend, had gone to Dorne to visit some relatives and she wouldn’t come back until the next weekend.

However, Sansa didn’t want to tell him all that, at least not when they had just met each other. She feared seeming too enthusiastic. Some artists loved to talk with fans, but others felt intimidated. Though Petyr didn’t seem _intimidated_ by Sansa in any way, rather he seemed to be enjoying their conversation immensely, she didn’t want to risk ruining it.

Petyr smiled as if he had guessed the truth and asked:

“And have you watched the last one: _The Secrets Between Us, sweetling?_ ”

“No, not yet.” Sansa found herself enjoying the name he was using to call her. _Sweetling_. It was delicate and evoked a closeness that made her feel safe and cherished. 

“Well, then it’s fortunate that I have two tickets with me.” Petyr winked and took them out of his pocket.

“Oh, Mr. Baelish, you don’t have to…”

“Please, accept them. The producers always give me a few spare tickets for friends and acquaintances. Just choose the person you want to go with and have fun. It would make me very happy to know that you had a lovely evening at the theater. Besides, these aren’t for any specific date, you can go any day you prefer as long as the movie is still showing”

“Thank you.” Sansa smiled and took the tickets. In doing so, their hands touched, making her feel a tickle in her stomach.

She looked him in the eye, and her tingled intensified. Petyr’s gaze had darkened, and he was looking at her transfixed.

“I should go,” Sansa said.

Petyr swallowed and nodded his head.

“Thank you for giving my earring back to me, and for the tickets. I’m sure I will enjoy the movie very much.”

“You’re welcome, sweetling.”

“Oh, sorry, I didn’t tell you my name. I’m Sansa Stark.”

A smirk appeared on Petyr’s face.

“I confess I also knew your identity, Miss Stark. Your father invited me because I could be the one driving the Starkspeed if he finally accepts Mr. Barton’s offer.”

Sansa looked at him, surprised.

“You… you will be the protagonist in the movie?”

“If everything goes as expected, then, yes, Miss Stark.” Petyr smiled kindly.

Sansa’s heart raced, her mind focused on the implications of what Mr. Baelish had just said. If her father signed the contract and the movie became a reality, that alliance would entail a link between the Starks and the cinema industry. From that moment on it would be pointless for her parents to try to keep Sansa and Arya away from the artists. 

And that would mean that Sansa would have more opportunities to see Petyr.

Mr. Baelish smiled as if he were reading her mind.

“Hopefully your father and Mr. Barton can come to an agreement. I have a feeling that it would be beneficial for so many people.”

Sansa nodded, her face radiant. 

“Anyway,” he continued “I’m sure that this will be just the first of many wonderful encounters, sweetling.” He took her hand and placed a soft kiss on it, his facial hair brushing against her skin in a way that made her shiver.

She was looking forward to the next one.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it. Comments and kudos are much appreciated :-)


End file.
